Redondasaurus

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Redondasaurus
Temporal range: Late Triassic
Mounted skeleton of Redondasaurus bermani at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Phytosauria
Family: Phytosauridae
Node: †Leptosuchomorpha
Subfamily: †Pseudopalatinae
Genus: †Redondasaurus
Hunt & Lucas, 1993
Species
  • †R. gregorii
  • †R. bermani

Redondasaurus is a genus of phytosaur from the Late Triassic of North America. The name means "Redonda lizard," referring to the Redonda Formation of east-central New Mexico, USA where fossils have been found.[1] It was first named by Hunt & Lucas in 1993, and contains one species, R. gregorii. It is the youngest and most evolutionarily-advanced of the phytosaurs.[2]

Description

Placerias and Redondasaurus

Redondasaurus had a long snout, compromising 81% of the length of the skull in the largest known specimen, a single 80 cm (31 in) long skull[3] from the Upper Chinle Formation, New Mexico.[4] It likely spent most of its time in lakes and rivers, and ambushed its prey, which consisted of fish, small reptiles, and possibly dinosaurs.[5] The enamel in the teeth of Redondasaurus has a columnar microstructure.[6]

A recent phylogenetic analysis found that the genera Pseudopalatus, Mystriosuchus, Redondasaurus and Nicrosaurus were pseudopalatines.[7]

In popular culture

Redondasaurus was featured killing an Effigia in the IMAX film Dinosaurs Alive!.

References

  1. ↑ Creisler, Ben (1996-01-01). "Phytosauria Translation and Pronunciation Guide". Dinosauria.com. Retrieved 2008-04-25. 
  2. ↑ Late Palaeozoic and Early Mesozoic Circum-Pacific Events and their Global Correlation (World and Regional Geology); page 219. By J. M. Dickins, Yang Zunyi, Yin Hongfu, and S. G. Lucas. Published 1997, Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-47175-3 Retrieved on 2008-04-24
  3. ↑ Hurlburt, G.R., Heckert, A.B., and Farlow, J.O. (2003)."Body mass estimates of phytosaurs (Archosauria: Parasuchidae) from the Petrified Forest Formation (Chinle Group: Revueltian) based on skull and limb bone measurements". New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science Bulletin 24: 105-113.
  4. ↑ Stocker, M.R., Butler, R.J. (2013). "Phytosauria". Geological Society, London, Special Publications 379.
  5. ↑ "Dinos Alive official website's page on Redondasaurus". www.dinosalive.com. Retrieved 2008-04-24. 
  6. ↑ "Tooth Enamel Microstructure of Selected Archosaurs Reptilia: Archosauria from the Upper Triassic Chinle Group, Western USA: Taxonomic and Evolutionary Significance". Andrew B. Heckert and Jessica Camp; Dept. of Geology, Appalachian State University. 2007-10-31. Retrieved 2008-07-13. 
  7. ↑ Hungerbühler A. 2002. The Late Triassic phytosaur Mystriosuchus westphali, with a revision of the genus. Palaeontology 45 (2): 377-418

Further reading

External links

Basal crurotarsans
 
Major clades
 
Phytosauria
Basal phytosaurs
Phytosauridae
Nomina dubia
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